MSU educator has comic book writing alter ego

What do Superman, Batman and Spider-Man all have in common? Secret identities. Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker all live human lives before secretly donning their costumes, hiding their human sides and becoming these immortal men, famous around the world.

Missouri State University’s Michael Frizell, director of student learning services, has been getting quite a bit of attention paid to his alter ego of late. While Frizell does not dress like a bat and prowl the rooftops of downtown Springfield, he has his own successes outside of his day job: MSU director of student learning services by day, successful comic book writer by night.

While Frizell being a successful comic book writer is interesting enough, the type of comics he writes may surprise many. Frizell writes for a series of comics called “Female Force,” which highlights the life stories of female celebrities and politicians, like Sheryl Sandberg.

While “Female Force: Sheryl Sandberg” was one of his first gigs, it certainly hasn’t been his last. Frizell has also adapted audio books into comics, specifically a comic called “Tribute: Christopher Reeve.” This book was well received by the Reeve Foundation — two pages were added into the book, and it was included in the graphic novel collection “Supermen Behind the Cape.”

“I’m like a kid in a candy factory,” said Frizell. “I get to work in a job I love every day and write comic books in my spare time.”

Frizell is a long-term comic fan, saying that his parents encouraged him and bought him comics as a child as long as he promised to read them. Still an avid reader today, Frizell makes runs to the comic shop every Wednesday and has a vast personal collection of comics in his home.

“If you visit my office,” he said, “you’ll see graded copies of Marvel’s first ‘Star Wars’ run, ‘Micronauts’ and of course, ‘Rom: Spaceknight.’”

Frizell has several new books in the pipeline with his publisher, Bluewater Productions, and is writing a graphic novel, “bender,” with his brother David Frizell. While Frizell’s heroes don’t don tights and fight crime, perhaps his books will be able to inspire future generations to write comics, just like “Rom: Spaceknight” did for him.